


We Are Grounders

by askynote



Category: Big Hero 6 (2014)
Genre: Alternative Universe - The 100, Big Hero 6 AU, Gen, and Hiro gets really annoyed, in which Tadashi is overprotective
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-06-07
Packaged: 2018-03-25 17:03:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3818143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/askynote/pseuds/askynote
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>97 years after the nuclear war that wiped out most of life in Earth, the Ark sends 100 of criminals under eighteen to test if it’s livable again, Hiro included. That’s when Tadashi doesn’t hesitate to follow them to keep his little brother safe.<br/>Nobody knows what’s out there, the dangers they will have to face. But in their first day of landing they find out the unexpected truth: they’re not alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> It follows mostly the tv show storyline with the bh6 characters but I would add several twists so it won't be exactly as the show.

It has been almost a year and Tadashi can’t get used to the silence in their home. _His home._ He throws his backpack in a corner and sighs deeply. His gaze focus on a specific section of the floor and his heart aches again. Instinctively, he imagines the familiar hair mop coming out of the hole with wide scare eyes.

He hates the council, he hates the chancellor for made stupid rules. But mostly, he hates himself.

He prepares himself a cup of tea and takes out one of his medical books. He tries to concentrate in the words but his mind seems to like to torture him with undesired thoughts. The ones that haunt him every night and makes him want to scream until his voice becomes hoarse.

Tadashi decides to work on his new project sketch instead. He stares at the blank paper waiting for the inspiration to arrive. If he comes with a brilliant idea, if he gets it to work, it would help a lot of people in many different ways and…maybe they could free his baby brother from the juvenile lockup.

He tries to draw something. Doodles, whatever. But nothing comes to his mind. And he’s so frustrated.

Tadashi stands up with a growl. He grabs the cup to throw it at the wall and with a smack, it falls to the floor in little pieces, next to a black bot with a yellow weird face. Forgetting about the pottery fragments, he holds the last invention of his brother—Megabot, he recalls— close to his chest like a stuffed bear.

The tightness in his heart doesn’t cease. He starts wondering if it would never cease.

There’s a knock on the door but the person at the other side doesn’t wait to an answer. His mother’s best friend appears with concern written all over her face. Tadashi has always called her Aunt Cass and she was the only member of the council that he doesn’t resent. After all, she warned them when an inspection was coming.

He leaves the bot in the table and rubs his eyes just in case they were watery.

“Tadashi,” she hurries to say. “Tadashi we need to talk. I’m going to help you but there’s not much time”

“W-What’s wrong?”

“It’s about your brother.”

\---

It was the first time Tadashi Hamada had seen his mother crying and he didn’t know what to do. She was being held by his father while the last one whispered comforting words, but both of them were shaking slightly with fear.

The six year old kid walked timidly towards them.

“Dad, is mom okay?” he decided to finally ask.

During that time neither of the both parents had noticed their child’s presence so they didn’t know how much he had heard. Still, they tried to hide their sadness with a smile but failed miserably when it faltered.

With a long sigh, Mr. Hamada patted the bed with the hand that wasn’t around the woman’s shoulder.

Tadashi did as his father told him and instantly he was part of a big embrace. Mrs. Hamada hugged him tightly as she sobbed softer.

“Sweetheart…” Mrs. Hamada tried to say. "You…you’re going to have a...sibling.”

Tadashi tilted his head in confusion. He had barely heard about having a younger sister or brother, none of his friends had one.

"And why are you sad?"

"Oh honey...it's complicated."

But they knew Tadashi was a smart kid, it wouldn’t be fair if they hide something from him. Besides, it was better if he knew the risks and would be easier to convince him to keep his mouth shut. So his father told him the horrible truth. A family can’t have more than one child. The Ark couldn’t support more people. If anyone break that law, they would be floated.

When he finished talking, Tadashi was angry. He didn’t want another baby. A baby that would probably be the reason of his parents’ death. Everything was fine with just the three of them, why couldn’t they give the baby back?

\---

“I thought the radiation wouldn’t dissipate until about a hundred years” he says as Aunt Cass hands him a guard’s uniform and goes outside to keep watch.

Tadashi changes his clothes rapidly trying not to focus on his displeasure. A long time ago, his dad wanted him to be part of the Guard, but he refused immediately. He didn’t wanted be part of the Ark that gets people imprisoned or killed, even if it's not their entire fault.

“Well, yeah...they still not sure if it’s survivable. That’s why they’re sending them and not more capable people” Aunt Cass says when he gets out and they start to walk in a fast pace through the station.

Of course they'll do something like that. Risk other people's lives who are not valuable enough for their use.

Tadashi’s heart beats way faster than usual and he feels like is going to go out of his chest if he doesn’t calm down.

“What I’m supposed to do now?”

“You go and enter to that ship. If you get caught by someone before you can, tell them you’re making sure no one is trying to run away.” Her eyes are sternly and he doesn’t remember seeing her that way before. Not even when his parents got floated. “Don’t let anyone see your face, not until you land. Don’t look for Hiro until the doors are sealed. Got it?”

Tadashi nods. He'd be lying if he didn't say he's excited and scared at the same time.

“But wait…what about you? If they find out–?”

If she dies too, he wouldn’t be able to bear with the guilt. He already carries the blame of his parents’ death. Another one would be too much.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” she caresses his cheek and gives him a quick tight hug. “Oh sweetie, I bet your parents are so proud of what you’ve become.”

 _I’m not so sure about that_ , he wants to say. But instead he tells her: “Thanks Aunt Cass. For everything.”

She manages to smile a little. He really wants to believe that this is not going be the last time they will see each other.

“Go, it's time. Save that brother of yours and tell him to stop getting in trouble." She bits her lip, and Tadashi knows she's not done yet. "You know I never really get why they kept repeating that phrase in the Unity Day ceremony, but...maybe I do now...may we meet again.”

Tadashi never understood it either. For him it was always like saying trust in destiny and put your life in the hands of fate. Now thinks he actually he sees the truth too. Yeah, in some ways is about fate but it is also a quote of hope and reassurance.

“May we meet again.”

He starts to turn around, closing his eyes, preparing his mind for what’s coming.

"Wait a second" she says. “Last hug.”

Aunt Cass's arms wraps around him once more.

\---

The Hamada baby was destined to be unpredictable. Only eight months had passed when Mrs. Hamada went into labor with the only company of her firstborn son.

It had been really difficult to keep it secret without anyone noticing that something was off, especially when the woman’s belly started to grow up and she had to hide from the council, the neighbors and the entire Ark's population.

Now, Mrs. Hamada was desperately trying not to scream so she wouldn't alert some cadet.

She was scared. Scared because she didn't know why the baby was coming earlier; she didn't know if she or he was healthy; she couldn't get the help of a doctor if something went wrong; she didn't want to know what would happen if someone came through that door and saw her like this.

The labor lasted way more than the one with Tadashi. Mr. Hamada was still in work and there was no way he would arrive home earlier.

When she finally felt the baby coming out, she ordered Tadashi to bring her a blanket, who was watching the whole scene feeling a little perturbed. His mother looked sweaty and tired. What if she passed out?

Mrs. Hamada was biting a towel to muffle her screams. She heard a loud cry and panicked raised in her heart, she wrapped the newborn with the soft little blanket rocking him back and forth until quickly it faded into soft noises.

Tadashi climbed the bed to have a better look of the baby.

"Well, you're going to have a little brother now" whispered Mrs. Hamada exhausted with weary eyes. "Say hi to Hiro."

Carefully and full of curiosity, Tadashi poked the baby’s cheek.

"He's really...small."

Even in her state Mrs. Hamada managed to smile.

"That's how babies are supposed to be."

"He's chubby too."

Mrs. Hamada laughed, but suddenly her gaze turned serious.

"Can you promise me something Tadashi?"

Tadashi nodded.

"We're going to need your help...to keep your brother safe yes? It's going to be really hard since now but...we'll do everything to protect him okay?"

Tadashi stared at his brother for a while. Hiro had been quiet the whole time, but he kept his big eyes open. He looked so innocent, without any knowledge of what the future hold, but he was so tiny that it made him look mostly frail.

"I promise."

\---

The floor is cold and hard. Hiro wishes they had at least give him something to entertain himself. Materials so he could build something. He wouldn’t try to make an _awesome_ device to escape, of course not. It wouldn’t matter, there’s no place to hide. Not anymore.

He closes his eyes and imagines how it’s the world outside of these four walls. He had only see it once and he fears it would've been his last time.

He remembers it all too well. The way the light of the sun reflected the moon side by side the blue planet that their ancestors had once called it home. It was all too good to be true. A picture taken from a history book.

But in four years there will be an opportunity of gain his freedom. He finally will be able to let go all his fears. He could actually make his blueprints and ideas become real. Hang out with Tadashi and just _live._

The chances of getting executed were less than fifty percent. It’s not like he’d killed someone. His only crime is that he exists (okay yeah, maybe he did try to take apart that machine with his brother's tools but it was one time, and they never find out).

Seriously it’s not his fault he was born. It’s not his fault Hiro’s parents were careless enough to have another baby.

Tadashi would have probably slapped him if he’d heard him saying those things.

He doesn’t care.

He doesn’t care because even though his big brother has always been there, he doesn’t know how it feels. Not being wanted. Being a mistake.

His thoughts are interrupted when the doors open with a crack and Hiro can't help but jumps startled. Three guards enters. One with a box and a shave head, the other one with beefy arms stays in the door and the last one walks towards him.

“C’mon kid, it’s time for you to go.” says the third one with a raspy voice.

Wait? _What?_

“N-No...I’m not even fifteen yet.” Hiro stammers walking far away from the man as possible.

“Hey, it’s okay.”

No, no, no. He is supposed to get review at eighteen. He...

He doesn’t want to die.

He goes cornered between the intersection of two walls. The raspy voice man tries to grab him by his wrist but Hiro kicks him in the lower parts as hard as his scrawny legs allow him to. He hears him curse at the same time Hiro runs to the exit. The beefy man covers the entrance like a big dark barrier. Hiro tries to punch him but fails when beefy man grabs his fist in a firm grip.

Hiro is trembling like a frightened kitten. Panic rises from his stomach to settle down on his mind and he cannot longer breathe properly.

“Let me go.” Oh, he sounds _so_ pathetic. “Please, I didn’t...I just…”

Shave head man puts him a metal wristband, apparently made of steel.

“W-What…?”

“You should be grateful kid.” says the man he kicked after he caught his breath. “You’re going to Earth.”


	2. The Landing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi beautiful people! Here's another update, hope you like it.

Everything was darkness. He couldn't hear a thing. His cheeks were wet and his chest was rising in painful breaths. He clutched his stuffed robot closer to his face trying to stifle his sobs. _Stay calm and be quiet. Be quiet._ That was the rule, he knew it.

He didn’t want his mommy and daddy to be dead but he was so scared. Why did he always have to be locked up?

The door upside his head started moving slowly. He covered his eyes and curled up as much as he could. He saw a dark framed leaning towards him and the tears started flowing as fast as a rainstorm.

"Hiro?"

He didn’t respond. Instead, he found himself in his brother’s familiar arms and he let himself buried his face in his savior chest. He scooped him up until he couldn't feel the small mattress anymore and concentrated in hearing the so reassuring heartbeats that were bumping in his ear like a lullaby. Hiro kept letting out a few other wails.

His back was being rubbed slowly at the same time his big brother rocked him back and forth.

"I hate the hole," he whimpered.  

Tadashi pulled away a little to have a better look of his face and removed the locks that were covering his eyes. “I know, but...it’s necessary.”

The five-year old sniffled and wept his tears with the sleeve of his sweater.

“It’s scary.”

“Why?”

“Dark.”

Tadashi bit his lower lip. It was already past midnight, both of his parents were asleep and Hiro had to stay in his hiding place, just to be safe.

But as he watched those puffy almond eyes, his heart clenched. It was bad enough when Hiro had to hide in the inspections during the day, but the nights were always the worst.

"Tell you what, sleep here with me but you have to stay really quiet okay?" He dragged the little boy to his bed. "And we'll have to wake up before mom and dad so they don't notice you weren’t hidden."

His brother whispered a cheer and Tadashi couldn't help but chuckle. Hiro snuggled once more at his side.

In a few minutes both boys were sleeping safely in each other's arms.

\---

Hiro is grasping his seat belt so hard that his knuckles must be already white. His hands are sweating and _wow_ they really tightened the wristband to make sure he doesn't try to take it off. He rests his head in the back of the seat and closes his eyes. He tries not to think in the fact that lots of things can go wrong now since here. They could be able to die in many painful ways he can’t describe. Radiation, dehydration, illness, and the list goes on and on.

On the bright side, he did get to be a free at least. Not in the way he had thought but it doesn't matter.

He can't wait to feel the sun rasping his skin, walk in the grass barefoot, and touch the clear water with his fingertips. That is, if there's vegetation and fresh air. Earth could be a hot desert full of toxics.

_Okay, stop overthinking._

If the Ark is sending them it's because there's a chance they could live here again. They surely made a lot of testing to search for the less dangerous place to land. Or...

Or are they here to save oxygen for the rest of the people in space and the Council just wanted to fill them with useless hope?

_Dammit. This is not working._

If Tadashi were here, he would've calmed him down, told him to take slow breaths. In and out. In and out. He would have also laughed and called him a drama queen and Hiro’d have told him that he was so much worse. But he is not here and probably he's in a practice of the medical school right now and...

Oh...wait...

Oh no.

He's definitely going to freak out when he finds out that Hiro was sent to Earth. Man, his brother has always been such a mother hen (he doesn't blame him though, given the circumstances), he can almost hear the squeak coming out of his mouth, and he wishes he could be there to see him yell at everyone, demanding answers.

Then, his thoughts are interrupted when an abrupt turbulence shakes the ship like an earthquake. The voice and image of the chancellor appears in a screen. He doesn't really pay attention though, of what he's saying. He just catches the phrase "those crimes will be forgiven, your records wiped clean", and something about Mount Weather?

In that moment too, he realizes that some idiots decided it's a good idea to leave their seats. And then, everything pretty much starts going to hell.

\---

Hiro was sitting in the floor with his legs crossed, counting the dirt stains he saw in the walls.

A day.

He had been in the prison for a whole day.

It was funny. He had expected to be discovered in a...cooler way? Not just: _boo! We caught you._

Was it worth it? Having seen the outside just for a moment? No, of course not. Okay… Maybe for a moment, until he realized his parents were going to get floated and his brother probably blamed himself.

Hiro pulled the sleeves of his hoodie covering his hands completely to warm himself. At least they let him keep it. At least he was still alive.

The doors opened, making him flinch. A shaggy guard with fair skin entered cautiously with a bowl of food. Hiro stood up and looked at him with a wary glare.

“Uh, hey little dude, I'm Fred." He handed him the plate. "I brought dinner.”

When Hiro grabbed it, he tried to look as indifferent as he could. “I can see that.”

He sat again in the same position he was before and started eating because they only gave them one portion per day. He swallowed enjoying every bite but he stopped when the guard didn't move.

"Umm...are you going to stay here until I finish? Because yesterday..."

"Ah no, it's just...you're the guy who was arrested in the Unity Day party, Hiro Hamada right?"

"Right." Hiro left the bowl in his lap and played with his thumbs. "And how did you knew?"

"People talked faster than you think, and I'm like the secret messenger of the prisoners, so I update all of you the news of the outside."

"Awesome." Hiro replied sarcastically and rolled his eyes. Now everyone knew about the poor boy with a tragic past. _Great._ "That's all?"

"Nop, hold on." Fred grabbed something inside his jacket. "Just…if you get bored, but be sure to hide it really well."

A notebook and a pen.

"If you run out of ink I will bring you another one. Don't worry about that."

Fred walked towards the exit, and he offered Hiro a gentle smile before he left. “And just so you know, not everyone agrees with the Council's choice. You're just a kid after all."

But Hiro was staring at the notebook with wide eyes. "Fred...uh...thanks."

Maybe he could survive in this cell after all.

\---

There’s another crash and people scream. The two boys hit their heads against the wall, but the only thing that Hiro can think is that they're almost there. _He_ is almost there.

After what seemed like hours, everything stops abruptly and he sighs relieved. His hands are numb.  He's too shocked to move as everyone else, until someone removes the seat belt and runs to aid the fallen boys.  

Like a green light, other people stands up and goes to the entrance. Hiro does the same, trying to reach the door as fast as possible.

"Wait, we shouldn't open the doors just like that. We don't know if it's safe," says a tall girl with long honey-blonde hair.

Everyone starts to protest and a deep presumptuous voice stands over the dispute, which belongs to a toned boy with thick eyebrows. "Yeah you're right, I say the youngest should go first."

That's when Hiro realizes he's in the front and they are staring at him, with the exception of the dark skinned boy who’s checking the two unconscious guys in a corner.  

"Wait I-"

"C'mon if you don't died now, you'll die later. There's no way someone scrawny as you could survive out there." pushes the same guy from behind.

A girl with a defiant look and purple locks makes his way towards him and stands between him and the crowd. "Looks aren't everything you now. Besides we're not sending at kid to his death. We are not the Council."

One by one people start to yell until the fight begins. Again.

"But if we want to survive, we have to make sacrifices."

“There are already two dead people!”

"Oh c'mon you're just been dramatic!"

“No, you’re just stupid!”

Hiro is trying too hard to find his voice, because no one has asked him what he wants. Before he can even open his mouth, someone whistles to be heard above all the noise.

Everything dies in silence.

"Can you all stop fighting already? I suggest we look for another solution, because I'm not letting you drop my brother just like that."

Hiro's heart aches because it’s been a long since he heard that voice. The voice that wiped nightmares, kept him from falling apart, offered comfort and protection. Hearing that voice, Hiro wants to run, and be held, and cry. And that’s exactly what he does.

Well, except for the crying part.

"Tadashi!"

In no time his big brother embraces him tightly and lets out a shaky breath at the top of his hair. Hiro knows everyone is staring at them but at this moment he’s just happy to see the person he needs the most.

"Brother?" says the guy who first suggested the idea of getting him out of the drop ship. "But that's not...wait! You're the boy who lived in the floor!

_Of course._

Of course someone would eventually mention it.

Blood rushes to Hiro's cheeks and his ears feel hot. Tadashi lets go his grip but doesn't lower the arm that's around his shoulders.

He stares at the guy with a stern gaze he had never seen before. And if that’s not enough, one of the other boys —is that Fred?— gives him a smack in the head and finally he shuts up, even though he doesn’t seem affected at all.

"I...ah...h-how are you even here?" Hiro decides to end with the awkwardness and notices his brother's outfit. "And what...? Are you wearing a guard uniform?!"

Tadashi shrugs as a reply and smiles a little. "Aunt Cass."

"Of course."

The honey-blonde girl takes a step forth and clears her throat.

"Ok...now that everything is settle down, what do we do?"

"Look if the air is toxic we're all dead anyway."

“Yeah but still…”

Somehow Hiro gathers courage to speak without shaking. His mother’s voice appears on his mind. _Just don’t be afraid._ “Ok! Can I at least say something? Is my life after all."

His brother looks at him with a face he knows so well. The face that resumes in: Hiro _no._

“What else should we talk? I’m not…”

"But I wanna go."

"Hiro..."

"No! I mean, I'm glad you're here, like really, really glad, but see that guy?" He points out at the crowd. "I want people to start knowing me by something else that just my past. Being the first person to walk on Earth after 97 years is the first step."

"Or being the first person who walked on Earth and died."

"Tadashi, c’mon!" Hiro tries to implore with big puppy eyes, all the previous doubts he had before landing already vanished.

He knows his brother it’s not going to let him, but if other ninety nine people agrees with him then it’s not like he has a choice.

This time another girl raises her hand to talk. "Ok, we are taking just too long. Are you gonna do it or what?"

"Yeah. Let’s open it."

He sees Tadashi biting his lip, but Hiro is only focusing in one thing.

Someone lowers the lever and the door slides down letting a few glimmers of light in, a fresh breath passes through his face. He looks up to find big leafy trees with the sun reflecting its light in all its glory.

Slowly, Hiro walks on the platform, one step at the time. He stops for a second when he sees the soil and he jumps.

After many years, Hiro’s smile is bigger as ever. He rubs his hand through his hair before raising both of his arms in triumph.

“We made it!”

Behind him, the other ninety nine juvenile delinquents cheers and runs outside, far away from the drop ship. Hiro follows their example celebrating their achievement. He glances at his brother, who ruffles his hair and gives him a tired smile.

After he gives Tadashi a hug he goes to look for Fred, because he is completely sure he had seen him inside, and finds him jumping happily with three other guys. The two girls of before and the guy that tried to help the two fallen boys.

“Uh, Fred?” he calls a little uncertain, after all Hiro didn’t even know he had been apprehended. He just stopped coming to his cell a few weeks ago and he never stopped to think why.

“Hey, Hiro!” he greets him putting an arm around his shoulder. “Let me present you to the crew. Honey Lemon, Gogo and Wasabi.” He pointed out in order.

The blonde girl, Honey, lets out a squeal and goes to hug him extremely tight. “You’re so cute! Nice to meet you Hiro!”

Cute?! He tries not to be offended by the comment. But seriously _cute?_

When she lets him go, he finally can look at the others better.

The girl with purple locks, Gogo, is almost his height and by the expression of her face he knows she is the rebellious type. Wasabi has a muscular complexity and the name suddenly strikes in Hiro’s mind.

“You’re one of my brother’s friends.” The one with the cleanliness and order obsession, but he doesn’t say it. “I thought you were lawful or something.”

“Yeah! But it wasn’t my fault it was Gogo’s!”

“Stop complaining, woman up. You wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t got caught.”

When the playful discussion starts, Hiro stops paying attention and he sees Tadashi wandering in the woods with a map on his hands. Without saying goodbye, he runs towards him still with excitement running through his veins.

“Why the long face bro?” Hiro snickers. “Don’t tell me you’re mad at me.”

“No that’s not...well now that you mention it.” Tadashi gives him a noogie and Hiro stirs trying to get free. “Don’t ever dare to do something that stupid again bonehead!”

“Ow ow ow! Tadashi stop!”

Hiro grunts when he finally lets go. “Geesh, you worry too much.”

“And you worry too less.” Tadashi sighs. “Seriously, if I tell you no is for a reason. Don’t start being reckless, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Liar.”

Hiro smiles slyly showing his middle gap teeth and shrugs.

“Anyway, what are you doing with that map?”

“We were supposed to land in Mount Weather, the supplies are there. The chancellor said they will last two years, but something went wrong and they dropped us on the wrong mountain.”

“So…”

“We’ll have to get before we starve ourselves.” Tadashi says. “Still, I’m not sure how I’m going to convince one hundred criminals to follow a plan.”

“Ninety nine, I’m on your side big bro and you, besides, don’t have too. We just need a few people to help us carry the food.”

Before Tadashi could ask something, Hiro grabs his arm dragging him where Fred and the others are still standing. Tadashi blinks when he sees his old friend.

“Tadashi! Is good to see you man.” Surprised, they give each other a pat on the back.

“Ok mmm...Wanna go for a walk?” Hiro says. “Apparently, the Council messed up and now we have to go Mount Weather to survive. So...are you in?”

“Our first mission on Earth.” Fred declares excited. “How cool is that?”

“Sure, we are in.” Honey Lemon adds.

“Nice, let’s go.” Hiro says walking away again.

Tadashi grabs him by the hoodie to keep him in place.

“Wait a second, shouldn’t we tell the others?”

Gogo raises her eyebrows and looks at the teenagers.

“We are going for food. Don’t kill each other!” she calls aloud but no one pays attention, still deep in their little bubble of happiness. “Done.”

“Right…”

Tadashi is the first one to adventure into the woods with map in hands. Hiro and the others are behind giving a second look to all what surrounds them.

His brother is in killjoy mood right now, but Hiro is too happy to care.

They are back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Baymax were an animal, which one do you think he would be? Because he is going to make an appareance and like I mean, I was thinking in a dog but it wouldn't make sense to find a dog in the forest I guess? Or maybe not? or a fox? a ferret? I just don't know, I probably will have to do some research.
> 
> Thanks for reading, keep being awesome!


	3. Attack

“Accused of stealing herbs but you haven’t exactly told us what did you do to get arrested?” says Fred while they try to keep it up with Tadashi's pace.

Honey Lemon grabs a purple flower from the bushes and keeps it in one of her jacket pockets.

“Oh. Well, my grandma was sick but the Ark didn't want to waste medicine in her because she was already too old and there was a chance she would die soon” She answers quietly. “I saw the opportunity when there was no one in the place the keep the medicines. After all I knew how to make it."  

Tadashi tries so hard not to look back because he can't deny he is interested about how the others got where they are now. And it helps to aggravate his hate for the Council.

_Mount Weather first, talk later._

He has been anxious since the moment he put a step in the ship. He felt relieved when he held his little brother, but it wiped again when he saw where they’d landed. But everything would be okay again when they find the supplies, after that, the only thing he would have to worry is to be sure Hiro is okay.

Easier said than done.

“-shi, hey!” he hears someone calling. “Tadashi!”

He blinks before turning his face to the side.

“Sorry, what?”

Hiro lifts his eyebrows and walks faster to be on his side.

“I was trying to tell you to stop being so serious. You’re going to have a wrinkled forehead before you’re thirty.”

“I’m okay.”

His brother raises his hand to stop him from walking and the map crumples in his chest. Tadashi smooths it instantly trying to see if they are still in the right path.

"Hey, nothing is going to happen if we slow down a little." Hiro steps between him and the map with an exasperated look. "Chill out ok? We just arrived, no one is going to die if we don't make it by noon."

"If we don't hurry up we're not even going to make by the time the Ark follow us down here. Maybe I should have go alone, having so many people is distracting. Where did you meet them anyway?"

Hiro allows him to walk a little to keep a bit of distance between him and the others. "Like a moment ago? I guess. Except Fred, he was a guard and he was nice to me, brought me stuff, extra food..."

Tadashi's ruffles his hair playfully. "Good to know your first friend was from prison."

"In his defense, I was the one in the cell." Hiro says yanking his hand away and sighs. "Seriously dude, calm down a little.”

Tadashi’s purses his lip without looking at Hiro’s eyes. "Let's keep going."

" _Fine_."

Hiro goes back with others and Tadashi does take the time to stare with amazement the flora of the woods. It's difficult to imagine that just almost a 100 years ago everything had been destroyed by a war.

They keep walking in a steady pace, not too fast to get tired, not too slow. He finally relaxes a little when nothing bad happens in the way. He actually joins a little into the guys’ nonsense conversation.

Finally, they reach a river with clear water. Clear crystal water.

"Race to the river!" Fred whoops with his hands in the air.

No one follows him with that excitement and he can see the hesitation in some eyes, especially Wasabi's and Honey's. But it's when Fred stands in the edge of the cliff when he comes to his senses.

"Hey, wait." He goes and stops Fred before he jumps. "Don't! We don't know if the water is contaminated."

"It looks good to me," Hiro says.

"Yeah, if we go and find out we wouldn't need to worry about running out of water," Fred interferes still looking at the river with shining eyes.

"Tadashi's right," Honey steps in. "We are going for supplies, there's no need to risk you if there's no point."

“And the germs! Oh god, oh god Fred.” Wasabi babbles. “Don’t you know how many different kinds of bacteria there can be? In the water? In the fishes? That’s if it has fishes!”

In his left side, Gogo walks downhill, put her hands together to use it as a plate and drinks water from the edge.

"Gogo wait!"

They follow the way down just in time to find her shaking her hands in her jeans to dry them.

"See, nothing is..." She suddenly frowns and points at the river. "Ah...forget it."

A glimpse of dark shadow in the water appears. They take several steps backwards. It isn't a long time, just a small flash, merely a peek, but he manages to recognize a large black creature. A snake? An eel? He is not sure, but he thinks he saw more than one head, skin way more scaly, kind of like a crocodile, but it was too thin to be one. And it makes him have shivers in his dorsal spine.

Fortunately, it doesn't try to bite them or anything, but still he does not want to push their luck by getting into the river to swim.

Fred whistles impressed "Cool."

"Seriously?! You don't even-"

"Um...guys?" Hiro cuts off and Tadashi sees him holding a large wood stick with a point of dark metal. The patterns in the spear are delightful, well-marked, but how is that even possible? How something like that could have survived to a nuclear war. "Something here is really off."

Wasabi is about to talk when his eyes goes wide and lets out a really loud squeal. Everything happens too fast when Gogo pushes Hiro to the side. His brother yelps and she fells to the ground. Her leg bleeds, an arrow embedded in her calf.

Just when another arrow is shot, it’s when everyone recovers from their turmoil.

"Cover in the trees c'mon!" Honey Lemon yells helping Gogo to get up.

Tadashi grabs Hiro without thinking twice despite the groans of the fourteen years old boy. "Tadashi I can run without your help."

But he doesn't listen.

He drags him far away checking over his shoulders just to see if someone needs help. This time, two arrows skim by their sides and he decides to get Hiro to safety as fast as he can. He hears the others besides and behind him. Ok, at least they are fine.

Tadashi hides in the first big tree that he finds and uses it as shield. His chest is rising rapidly and he doesn't notice his knuckles are changing color because he is gripping Hiro’s wrist too hard.

"Hiro, are you okay?" he says in a low voice.

With his other hand, Hiro tries to release Tadashi’s tight grasp. It already hurts because of the wristband, he doesn’t want to add any extra pain.

"Yeah, I’m fine," he grunts and looks at him with annoyance. “Let go.”

Tadashi ignores him again, and watches that Honey and Gogo are in the same position as them. He turns his head and thinks he can see Fred and Wasabi a bit closer. He doesn’t know if their attackers are gone but he needs to see if he can help Gogo’s injury somehow.

They have to get out here now, forget Mount Weather.

“I’m going to help Gogo.” He gives Hiro his most rigid look and reluctantly releases his wrist. “Stay here. _Don’t_ move.”

Hiro frowns for a moment. “But...they were...we are not…”

Alone. Something, someone had attacked them.

“I know." He stands up not letting his brother do the same. "But I swear Hiro if you move you’re grounded until you’re eighty.”

Hiro scowls but obeys.

Tadashi looks around just to make sure there are no flying arrows trying to kill him and runs quickly to the girls' side. He leans toward them. Honey already cut the shaft, leaving only the head of the arrow stuck in the skin.

“Hey, may I see it?” he says taking of his jacket.

Gogo shrugs. “If you can do something about it, sure.”

Yes he can. He has to. That’s why he has been studying for years, for a moment like this, he had even seen some operations before. But this time there’s no more experienced doctors to help him or correct him if something goes wrong; or utensils to work with, like anesthesia, a needle and thread to close the injury; alcohol to prevent an infection. There is nothing.

"We need water," he says to Honey while ripping both of the sleeves of the guard uniform. He saw little waves in the river, that's a good sign, at least the water is not stagnant and also Gogo drank of it without a complaint.

Honey Lemon nods and prepares to go when a big shell covers his peripheral vision. Tadashi startles because suddenly three more people are surrounding them. "Unbelievable! Hiro, you are grounded."

Hiro rolls his eyes and crosses his legs to sit on the grass. "No, I'm not."

"It’s good man, we were the one who went for the water. He just joined us when we returned." Wasabi says putting a hand in his shoulder. "And I think whoever attacked us is gone."

"I don't think we're going to be able to gather the supplies." Honey Lemon adds.

Tadashi soaks one of the sleeves and cleans around the wound, careful to not press the head of the arrow deeper into the skin. So, from what he has learned, it's not a good idea to remove the object because it can aggravate the bleeding, and it's better to wait for a doctor to do the surgery. But there's no hospital room, or doctor. Technically, he _is_ the doctor.

“Ok, this is going to hurt.”

“Just do it.” Gogo closes her eyes preparing for the pain.

Adjusting the sleeve in his hand, using it like a glove, he goes to work.

While removing the object, a little blood comes out, but nothing too serious. No veins were damaged. _Thank god._ The wound probably is going to heal by itself and with rest she should be okay.

He doesn’t notice the awe gazes everyone shoots him and focuses in wrapping the leg with the clean sleeve, using it like a bandage.

“That’s it, just don’t move it a lot and you should be able to walk properly soon.” Between him and Wasabi they help her stand up. “And thanks for...you know, shoving my brother aside.”

Gogo winces a little when she tries to support with both legs. “It’s okay and I would probably tell you that you owe me a favor, but I think fixing the wound covers that.”

They start to turn away and he notices that Fred has the spear he found before they were attacked. "Why didn't you leave it where it was?"

"Clues." Fred points out with finger in the air. "If we want to find out who or what is out there we need clues."

"Sure, we do." Wasabi says.

The way back is quieter than before. The rush of excitement already faded, replaced it by a mix of confusion and maybe a little bit of fear. Tadashi makes sure to keep Hiro at his side, not letting him wandering off again.

The sky is orange and getting darker when they finally arrive at camp and Tadashi is not surprised when the first thing they encounter is a fight. Annoyed yes, but not surprised.

He recognizes one of the boys, being the one who tried to dump Hiro out of the drop ship and Tadashi makes a mental note of keeping an eye on him. The other one is taller and slimmer, his hair the same type brown of his eyes.

Tadashi rapidly steps in when a pocket knife is in the view. "Ok wow, wow. Stop, stop!"

With a lot of help of Wasabi, they manage to take them apart, but no without having his face hit by one of the two boys. He wraps the taller guy with his arms to keep him steady and Wasabi does the same with the other guy.

"You're an asshole Snotlout!" he yells trying to free himself. "A stupid fu-"

"What are you doing?" Tadashi interrupts because even if no one has a swear jar here, he still has the weird tendency of not letting Hiro listen any kind of curse, even if he knows he’d heard plenty before. "We are not supposed to be tearing each other apart."

"It's not my fault Jack can't take a little joke." says Snotlout while pulling away from Wasabi. "Where is the food?"

Tadashi lowers his arms at the change of topic, stunned because they actually heard them when they left. The attention now turns to him and the guys. He rubs the back of his head trying to find the right words. "We couldn't get it."

The protests start. Voices speaking over another. And if this is how they are going to be since then, surely his going to have gray hairs.

"We were attacked." Honey Lemon insists. "We didn't see who or what was, but we couldn't go back."

"How do we know that's true?"

"Do you think I stabbed myself for fun?" Gogo interferes with a snort. "We should be rising a wall for protection, idiots!"

Snotlout raises an eyebrow. "Oh so do you think you're the leaders now? Are you going to tell us what to do?"

"Wha-Are you even listening?" Wasabi declares. "Someone attacked us. We are not alone and we don't know how dangerous they can be!"

"But what if you are lying?"

"Why would we lie about that?" Tadashi says.

"Besides, you can go and see it for yourself." Hiro dares him with tightness. "Anyone who doesn't believe us can try.”

Finally, he sees in the other delinquents’ eyes some kind of acceptance, and hopefully there will be no need of trying to prove what they are saying. But no one says a thing until again, Snotlout speaks for them:

"Ok, we will build a camp and secure it." He gives him a death glare and Tadashi doesn't flinch at all. "But you are not in charge, here there are not rules!"

Some guys let out hoorays and they split in several groups. The brown-eyed guy, Jack, watches Snotlout with a killer look and his fists clenched.

"Who the hell is that guy?" Gogo says when they are left alone.

"Snotlout Jorgenson." Fred explains. "Confined because of a several violent behaviors. He is like the second antagonist in a story. The one who is not with bad guys, but is a pain in the ass for the good guys."

"I wouldn't have known." Tadashi says with low voice.

"Why were you two fighting anyway?" Wasabi says to Jack.

"He made fun of someone I cared about." Jack’s gaze remains dark until it turns to see Tadashi with a goofy grin. "So the crazy dudes you talked about are real?"

"Yep, and there's also animals affected for radiation."

A familiar mischievous expression appears in Jack's face and his smile turns more genuine.

"Wow, I'm not gonna lie, that's pretty neat."

Fred raises his hand to Jack and they fist bump. "Right?"

Wasabi groans and mutters something like: _don’t encourage him._ Honey Lemon just rolls her eyes with a smile and Gogo doesn’t seem to care.

“Did the Ark contact us already?” Honey asks. “They were supposed to help us, doesn’t it?” It’s obvious she tries to be hopeful but there is a notorious doubtful tone in her words.

"I checked the radio, it doesn't work. It probably damaged from the crash."

Hiro perks up fast and eyes at the crashed ship. “I can see what it's wrong. Maybe is something it can be restored. Unless the cables got burned."

Everyone’s faces are priceless at the suggestion and Tadashi cannot help but curve his lips, because he forgot that no one but he and Aunt Cass know that his little brother resolved equations at _three_ years old _._ One reason of the endless list of why it was so unfair that Hiro had to deal with his terrible fate. But everything is going to get better, he doesn’t have to hide anymore.

Jack blinks once, then twice and just one last time. "Y-You can?"

Hiro’s expression means he can’t believe Jack asked him that and he responds with a puff. "Yeah"

This time Tadashi does let out a chuckled. "C'mon let's go to ship, and see what else can we use."

\---

He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe the picture his eyes were showing him. He wasn’t sure how he was feeling, he just knew that a lot of emotions were boiling in his insides. Anger, fear, a weird tickling in his back neck.

His brother was barely outside the door of their home with his newest bot in his hands. But he was almost in the station corridor. _Outside._

He didn’t dare to make a sound when he abruptly grabbed him by the wrist and yanked him inside. He clenched his fist trying to control his shakiness, because many cases of ‘what-ifs’ were flowing around his mind even if he managed to stop his such of a brash brother. And it got worse when he asked —no, _demanded_ — what the heck he was _thinking_ and Hiro murmured softly enough he couldn’t understand entirely, but caught the words: bot fighting and he felt he was exploding.

"Can you blame me?” Hiro finally snapped. “I'm always trapped here."

"Bot fighting is illegal, Hiro. You know what would happen if you get arrested.” His head ached. “If they find out that you have zero records! You know what would happen to mom and dad, to _you_."

Hiro glared at him with angry eyes. "I know, Tadashi! I know! They have repeated it to me enough times to forget!

"No! Apparently they haven’t!" Tadashi snarled, failing the attempt of keeping his voice calm. "No if you still think there wouldn't have been consequences if you have go out!"

"Ugh! It's not like that. It just-"

They were startled by the sound of the metal door and Tadashi stepped in front of Hiro without a second thought even if he could feel the awful heaviness of the air. But gladly, it was just their mom running into the room and by the expression in her face, the brothers knew exactly what it meant.

"Hiro, sweetie, inspection time."

Tadashi noticed a murmured followed by a scowl from the youngest Hamada. But he didn't protest and decided to deal with his frustration slamming the door just in time the guards entered the room.

His mother mouthed 'What happened?' but Tadashi shrugged off. He couldn't worry his parents with this. No, he had to deal with his brother alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long (a month wow), but life can be really yucky. Good news: I’m out of school!! Also, I fixed lots of mistakes in the 2nd chapter because wow it was a disaster.   
> And I used characters of another animated movies because I don't really like to write OC in fanfiction.


End file.
